The man who donated his stem cells flew in from Germany to be at the ceremony. News 9 was there when the two men met face to face for the first time.

Five years ago, Korey Pierce didn't know if he would live much longer, let alone get married.

In 2007, Korey Pierce, then a 19-year-old volunteer firefighter from Ashland, was diagnosed with aplastic anemia and was in desperate need of a stem cell transplant. With no matches in America, Pierce found the match he needed in Fabian Kaempf -- who lived in Germany.

"Words can never express how much your generosity means to everyone here. You've given life back to Korey," said Dr. John Hill.

Kaempf said he was inspired to become a donor after a close friend of his mother was diagnosed with leukemia.

"I donated stem cells but I don't know for who. I could never have imagined a moment like this," said Kaempf.

Now, years later, the men share a bond that will last the rest of their lives.

"Almost every day we are having some sort of conversation," said Pierce.

When Pierce got engaged to his girlfriend, Amy, he knew Kaempf had to be there to share in the day.

"He was the first person I asked to come to the wedding short of my fiancee," said Pierce.

Now, as the young couple get ready to start the next chapter in their lives, they are grateful for the man who made it possible.

"That's hard to think of without Fabian, I don't think that Korey would be here today having a wedding," said Amy Arbour.

The wedding will be on Saturday and the couple plans to visit Kaempf in Germany sometime in the future.